5/15/08

Sweet and sour


Today, a late mother's day present from M. arrived on the doorstep, two books on real Chinese cooking. Just the other day, out of the blue, he cooked up the most mouthwatering (and improvised) Sichuan-style stir fry - a dish so delicious that I had third helpings at dinner, and then another helping for breakfast the next day, and another for lunch. I think he must have been wondering when these books would arrive, and looking forward to using them! M. is a superb cook, a natural, and anything he whips up (even off-the-cuff) is a sensory feast. I'm a lucky woman.

Randomly, I found this little silk shirt for five dollars the other day when M. stopped at a new baby thrift store on 38th Street. It's a 2T, and I know there will be plenty to buy her in China, but I like the idea of recycled clothes. Toddler clothes have such a brief window of usefulness, quickly as children grow, and I like to reuse them, inherit them, give them a chance to be enjoyed by another child.
(Footnote: All this bounty - this wonderful life we have - feels very bittersweet as I listen to Chinese farmers on the radio wondering if their livestock will survive, townspeople in desperate need of emergency provisions, parents grieving the loss of a beloved only child. I can't reconcile these things. Nor should I. We should never take what we have for granted, not for a moment. And we should all look after one another in times of need. We are all on this little planet together, and I think now is a time to think carefully about how we live here, what sort of footprint we make, and where our priorities lie).

8 comments:

Yoli said...

Beautiful shirt and as always such a thoughtful husband. Girl you got a diamond and not in the rough.

You guys are going to be an amazing team raising Flynn.

TBG Happenings said...

cute top! Yours and your baby girls:)


aaah a man who can cook....this is what dreams are made of!

Anonymous said...

I am a huge fan of consignment stores. Zubin's wardrobe mainly come from them. I find the best stuff. you just need a good place that takes quality, unstained stuff. Cute shirt.

Margaret M said...

As always, very insightful! I usually wait to read your posts until the end of the day. They are always poignant and thought provoking. Thank you!

Stefanie said...

So well said. And I love recycled clothes too... even better than new!
I so love how you sign your posts now as Qiuqiu's parents :)
Tagged you for a meme, if you'd like something to take your mind off all the tragedies that are swirling in our children's homeland... it helped me for a little while ;)

chrissie said...

Well you know how I feel about clothing period,but if it is recycled...EVEN BETTER! I am not going to comment on M's cooking...I may start craving that d@%n bread pudding again! HA! I don't think I will ever, ever, ever forget that stuff...along with stir fry veggies from Christmas, those were yummy too,ah the list goes on...ANYWAY-on task-I will check the consignment shop tomorrow but I think there were a pair of 2t jeans that had that same pattern sewn on the bottom...if it is the same considerthem yours! I still have a box for you! I hate the post office(just going)! SO SORRY!!!

SGoff said...

Loved this statement: We should all have the ability to feel in our own veins and in our own hearts the pain and plight of people in other parts of the world.

That Bierman painting is beautiful. And I can't wait to see the new stuffed animals when you are finished!

Vivian M said...

Oh please share the titles of the cookbooks, I have been looking for Chinese cookbooks (not the Americanized version)!
And I agree with Yoli completely!